The driving apparatus comprises a vibrating body which includes an electro-mechanical energy conversion device, and drives a vibration-wave motor which moves the vibrating body and a driven body relatively to each other. The electro-mechanical energy conversion device has sensor electrodes that output detecting signals corresponding to vibrations of the vibrating body. Based on the detecting signals, the driving apparatus determines a direction in which the vibrating body and the driven body are to be moved relatively to each other.

An optical device includes: a piezoelectric element of a sheet shape; a restriction section attached to the piezoelectric element, the restriction section configured to restrict a movable area in the piezoelectric element to a polygonal predetermined region; an optical element attached to the movable area of the piezoelectric element; and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the piezoelectric element, the plurality of electrodes configured to be applied with voltage independently, wherein: the electrodes are disposed at adjacent two comers in the movable area; and the piezoelectric element expands and contracts based on voltage applied to the electrodes in a manner that a periphery of the corner where the electrode is disposed in the movable area expands and contracts in multiple directions including two directions along two sides forming the corner.

A piezoelectric drive device includes a piezoelectric drive portion which includes a contact portion capable of coming into contact with a driven body and a piezoelectric material, and a drive circuit which drives the piezoelectric drive portion. The drive circuit sets an allowable maximum output torque Tlim or less to an allowable output torque range, sets output torque Td of the piezoelectric drive portion so as to be within the allowable output torque range, and operates the piezoelectric drive portion. The allowable maximum output torque Tlim is expressed by the following Expression (1).
Tlim=r1×μk×Ns×fs  (1)
In the expression, r1 is a distance between a rotation center of the driven body and a contact position of the contact portion, μk is a dynamic friction coefficient between the driven body and the contact portion, Ns is a pressing force by which the contact portion presses the driven body when an operation of the piezoelectric drive portion stops, and fs is a coefficient of 1 or less.

A piezoelectric device comprises a fixed frame and a mirror carrier defining several support points securing a mirror. The mirror carrier is mounted rotatable. Several piezoelectric actuators are fixed to the support and deform independently in translation in a first direction. Each piezoelectric actuator moves the support area of the mirror carrier. The mirror carrier defines several attachment points. Each attachment point connects the mirror carrier mechanically with a piezoelectric actuator. The support points and attachment points are distinct from one another. The mirror carrier defines a plurality of flexion areas. The support points are movable with respect to one another. The piezoelectric actuators supplied in push-pull mode drive the support points making the mirror rotate perpendicularly to the first direction.

A driving apparatus includes a movable portion, a fixed portion configured to hold the movable portion, and a controller configured to control a position of the movable portion relative to the fixed portion. At least part of the outer surface of the movable portion is a spherical surface. The fixed portion includes a plurality of vibrators configured to press and contact the spherical surface of the movable portion and to rotate the movable portion, and a pressure receiver configured to hold pressure contact states of the plurality of vibrators against the movable portion. The movable portion is held by the plurality of vibrators and the pressure receiver, and a spherical center of the spherical surface of the movable portion is located between a plane passing through the plurality of vibrators and the pressure receiver.

This application discloses a camera module including a bracket, where the bracket is provided with a groove; a drive member, where the drive member is disposed on a first side of the bracket; a transmission member, where the transmission member is disposed on an inner wall of the groove, and the transmission member is electrically connected to the drive member; and a lens module, where at least part of the lens module is disposed in the groove, the lens module is movably connected to the transmission member, and the transmission member is configured to drive the lens module to move.

A movement amplifying actuation device may include two piezoelectric beams, one beam being attached at a fixed point, and a hinge connecting a first beam and a second beam between them. Each hinge may include a first flexible portion connected to the first beam, a second flexible portion connected to the second beam, a first rigid portion connecting the first and second flexible portions, a second rigid portion capable of being positioned against a fixed point, and a third flexible portion connecting the second beam to the second rigid portion at a pivot point of the second beam such that the assembly formed by the second rigid portion and the second beam forms a lever around the pivot point. The flexible and rigid portions may form a single piece.

A micro scanning mirror includes a lens, a piezoelectric material layer, two first rotating shaft elements, and first driving electrodes. A first axial direction passes through a center of the lens. The piezoelectric material layer is arranged along a circumferential direction of the lens and has first driving electrode regions. Each first spacing region where the piezoelectric material layer is not disposed is formed between two adjacent first driving electrode regions. Each first rotating shaft element is located between one of the first spacing regions and the corresponding adjacent first driving electrode region, and the first rotating shaft element connect the lens and the piezoelectric material layer located in the first driving electrode regions. The first driving electrodes are respectively located on the corresponding first driving electrode regions. The micro scanning mirror can obtain a large rotation angle of the mirror on the same driving condition and has good reliability.

Movement amplifying actuation device (100) comprising at least two piezoelectric beams (101, 102, 103), one beam (101) being attached at a fixed point (111), and at least one hinge (131, 132) connecting a first beam (101, 102) and a second beam (102, 103) between them. Each hinge comprises: a first flexible portion connected to the first beam, a second flexible portion connected to the second beam, a first rigid portion connecting the first and second flexible portions, a second rigid portion capable of being positioned against a fixed point (112, 113), and third flexible portion connecting the second beam to the second rigid portion at a pivot point of said second beam such that the assembly formed by the second rigid portion and the second beam forms a lever around said pivot point. Said flexible and rigid portions form a single piece.

A compact and robust microelectromechanical reflector system that comprises a support, a reflector, a peripheral edge of the reflector including edge points, and suspenders including piezoelectric actuators and suspending the reflector from the support. Two pairs of suspenders are fixed from two fixing points to the support such that in each pair of suspenders, first ends of a pair of suspenders are fixed to a fixing point common to the pair. A first axis of rotation is aligned to a line running though the two fixing points, and divides the reflector to a first reflector part and a second reflector part. In each pair of suspenders, a second end of one suspender is coupled to the first reflector part and a second end of the other suspender is coupled to the second reflector part.